Nomen vanum (plural; nomina vana) is a Latin term that literally means "empty name".
The term has been used in two very different ways; (1) applied only to names that are based on indeterminate type specimens or have inadequate originaì diagnoses, and (2) applied to intentional but invalid changes in spelling of a taxonomic name.
The Code of Zoological Nomenclature don't even recognize "nomen vanum" as a term, basically because they already have two phrases that do exactly the same job: "nomen dubium" for (1) and "unjustified emendation" for (2).
The term has been used in two very different ways; (1) applied only to names that are based on indeterminate type specimens or have inadequate originaì diagnoses, and (2) applied to intentional but invalid changes in spelling of a taxonomic name.
The Code of Zoological Nomenclature don't even recognize "nomen vanum" as a term, basically because they already have two phrases that do exactly the same job: "nomen dubium" for (1) and "unjustified emendation" for (2).
References
• Whetstone K and Chorn J (1978) "The use of the term nomen vanum in taxonomy".
Journal of Paleontology, 52: 494
